The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-01-01

for the State Industrial School for Girls
and a separate site for the State Home
fer Juvenile Offenders, at such place as
shall be at the same time most econom.
ical to the State and best adapted to
| the wants of the school and home, hav'
ing regard in the selection to elevation
sewerage and drainage and abundant
supply of water, facilities of access, the
quality of the soil, and the price asked
for the land.
1t is thus seen that while the scope
of the bill is broad and somewhat ex-
| pensive, it is at the same time wisely
discriminating in that it recognizes the
| fact that girls who belong to the depe11-
| dent class and who are almost certain
to grow up in vice unless they become
wards of the State, ought not to be
compelled to associate with those who
already belong to the criminal class,
and, have been found guilty of some
misdemeanor, and committed for pun
ishment. Crime taints, but poverty is
not dishonorable and should not expose
the innocent victim to needless harm.
In this particular the bill is based upon
practical wisdom, and will be received
with favor by those who have given
thoughtful atten ton to the subject.
The same m ay also be said of another
feature of the bill-a feature upon
which much emphasis is placed by the
promoters of similar institutions in other
States, and that is, "Any girl commit
ted under the provision of this act may,
by the trustees of said school or home,
be placed in the home of any good citi-
zen upon such terms and for such pur-
pose and time as may be agreed upon,
or she may be given toany suitable per-
son of good character who will adopt
her, or she may be bound to any respect
able citizen as an apprentice to learn
any trade, or as a servant to follow any
employment which, in the judgment of
the trustees, will be for her advantage,
and all and singular of the provisions
of the act entitled: AN act to revise
the law in relation to apprentices APP
proved Feb. %, 1874, in force July 1,
1874 In the training of children, es-
pecially of girls, there is no adequate
substitute for the home.
These unfortunate girls either have
no home, or kind of home which is
worse than none. The State hoping to
save them from becoming vicious and
desiring to make of them useful citizens,
wisely interposes its kindly aid and gives
to them the best protection which as a
State it can furnish. But there are
homes as this bill contemplates, reput-
able and desirable homes scattered all
over the State to which on recommends
ton of the trustees some, if not most of
these girls can be sent. Such contem-
plated disposal of all girls whom it APP
pears to be safe to send out would seem
to be an excellent feature of this bill
We learn that those who have the inter
ests of the bill in charge have already
communicated widely with leading citi-
zens of the State, and have secured en-
couraging assurances of their hearty CO.
operation. Indeed the present effort is
just one of those attempts to befriend
the unfortunate which enlists the sym
pathy of every noble minded person.
One may on reflection dissent from
some features of the bill, but he can not
but approve the main purpose of it.
OF course the State can not save all,
but that is no reason why it should not
try to save some. The State should at
least set the example of seeking to be
kind and helpful mother to those whom
she is able 10 reach. And this is said
not in the name of charity but in the
name of justice and self-preservation
1t is simply the duty of the State to try
and render aid to these unfortunate
girls. They demand help and protec
ton from the State, for they can get
that protection in no other way. Priv
ate charity can do something, but all
private charity is hedged about by many
difficulties, and it's aid is always spas
modic and at best very limited. Surely
if the State, and we do not question the
wisdom of its action, can appropriate
$4,000 to prevent pleuro-pneumonia
from spreading among cattle, and like
amount to protect healthy horses from
contamination by those afflicted with
CHAMBERS, it can afford to appropriate a
generous sum to save the homeless and
parentless girls who live within its bor-
ders, and who by reason of the environ
ments for which they may not be respon-
sible are virtually shut out of our public
schools and from all useful training and
exposed to moral leprosy everywhere
prevalent. We hardly need add that
the proposed institution is neither sec
tional nor sectarian. If it were either
of these, it could not hope to receive the
Endorsement of the fair minded members
of the General Assembly. Any institu-
ton of this nature which the people of
Illinois are asked to create and support,